Relic Wine Cellars - Ritual Red Wine 2021 (750ml)
Price: $82.99
| Producer | Relic Wine Cellars |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| Varietal | Carignane, Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Sku | 205431 |
| Size | 750ml |
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Relic Wine Cellars Description
Ritual is a wine near and dear to our hearts: an ode to the early pioneers of Napa. Beginning in 2007, Ritual was comprised of Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah. Then in 2009 we met Alfred Frediani, and began working with his old vines of Carignane and Petite Sirah, which were blended in with the Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache to create a complex old school Napa Valley blend. Central to our philosophy is the belief that we are stewards of the land and varietals that are historically significant to Napa Valley, but under-represented today as Cabernet Sauvignon makes them economically unviable. This wine was our original effort toward that end. In 2016, the Mourvedre was pulled out to plant Cabernet Sauvignon despite our best efforts. However, we were offered some rare Charbono that same year from Jim Frediani to enhance the blend. Typically we age our Rhone and Heritage varietals in neutral French Oak barrels and larger puncheons (450, 500L) in order to leave their gutsy personalities undisturbed, as is the case with Ritual.
Dry-farmed old vines have an uncanny ability to withstand the variations and extremes that we are experiencing in many recent vintages. The old Carignane and Petite Sirah vines at the Alfred Frediani Vineyard did just that in the drought year of 2021, staying happy with a full canopy that could easily handle the heat. The wine shows this in its exuberant, aromatic and juicy personality - a truly jubilant wine.
Tasting Note: Aromas of black cherry, plum, apricot, hot sand, white pepper and dried rosemary rise from the glass, leading to a lush, layered palate that retains its shape from the fine tannins and deep mineral cut. The finish is classy, long and refined.
Wine Advocate: 93 Points
An excellent blended red, Relic's 2021 Ritual Red Wine combines 33% Carignan, 26% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 16% Petite Sirah. The Carignan and Petite Sirah come from Frediani in Calistoga, the Grenache from Paras on Mount Veeder and the Syrah from Cortese in Coombsville, making it a wide-ranging effort for the less than 300 cases produced. Thankfully, consumers benefit, as the wine brims with notes of blueberries, cherries, dusty earth and dried herbs. It's medium to full-bodied in the mouth, plump, round, expansive and slightly creamy, even lush on the mid-palate, then it tightens up just a bit on the finish, marked by softly dusty tannins.
